Better data monitoringThe report also found that with a few exceptions the World Bank’s projects that were reviewed did not include air pollution control as a primary objective. As a result, these projects... Show More + missed the opportunity to collect critical data, and establish baselines that would help measure the success of air pollution reduction interventions that they supported. Many developing countries lack the infrastructure and standardized methods to collect and interpret data that might inform better decision-making and help set national air quality standards. Better data and systematic monitoring are necessary if countries hope to respond to pollution. Sound analytical data and monitoring of changes over time were some of the critical factors of success in Santiago, Chile, for example, where authorities implemented cleaner transport solutions that were successful in lowering air pollution.World Bank projects in Chile, Mongolia and Peru demonstrate the importance Show Less -

WASHINGTON, October 6, 2014 – Remittances by international migrants from developing countries are on course for strong growth this year, while at the same time forced migration due to violence and conflict... Show More + has reached unprecedented levels, says the World Bank’s latest issue of Migration and Development Brief, released today.Officially recorded remittances to developing countries are expected to reach $435 billion this year, an increase of 5 percent over 2013. The growth rate this year is substantially faster than the 3.4 percent growth recorded in 2013, driven largely by remittances to Asia and Latin America.Remittances to developing countries will continue climbing in the medium term, reaching an estimated $454 billion in 2015.Global remittances, including those to high-income countries, are estimated at $582 billion this year, rising to $608 billion next year.Remittances remain an especially important and stable source of private inflows to developing countries, as they bring in larg Show Less -

The Bank Group has transferred $105 million in emergency funding to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone to fight Ebola — more money to date than any other international organization,... Show More + the president said. Overall, the Bank Group has committed $400 million to support treatment and containment.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that in a worst-case scenario, 1.4 million people could become infected with Ebola.“We must do all we can to prevent thousands more needless deaths and an economic catastrophe. … Our ability to boost shared prosperity in West Africa — and potentially the entire African continent — may be quickly disappearing,” Kim said. “Unless we stop the infection’s spread now, there will be little prosperity to share, to say nothing of the number of people who will be unable to share in what remains.”Boosting shared prosperity and tackling inequality requires two key steps on the World Bank Group’s part, said Kim. The Show Less -

Recognizing this, the World Bank Group is supporting cities as they develop more sustainable municipal systems and services. It took another step in that direction in April, with grants to... Show More + 11 cities and programs for energy efficiency initiatives in key sectors such as lighting, buildings, transport, and water.The grants are the first under the City Energy Efficiency Transformation Initiative, led by the World Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP). The initiative seeks to integrate energy efficiency planning into city decision-making, build the capacity of city officials, promote learning and exchanges between cities, and facilitate financing—so that plans become realities on the ground.ESMAP’s $4.3 million in grants will support activities in three cities in Brazil (Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, São Paulo); in Karachi, Pakistan; in Shenzhen, China; in three cities in Ukraine; and two cities in Macedonia. Another grant will go towards Show Less -

PartnersMany urban development projects are funded and implemented in collaboration with partner organizations, including Agence Française de Développement (AFD), Australian Agency for International Development... Show More + (AusAID), Austria-World Bank Urban Partnership Program on Strengthening Local Governments in South-East-European Countries, Bank-Netherlands Partnership Program (BNPP), Cities Alliance, Climate Investment Fund, German technical cooperation (Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit, GIZ), Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), Haiti Fund, Japan Policy and Human Resources Development Fund (PHRD), German Development Bank (KfW), Korean Green Growth Trust Fund (KGGTF), Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) for Sustainable Urban Development, and Spanish Trust Fund for Latin America and the Caribbean (SFLAC).The joint work program between the Cities Alliance, the World Bank, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) and the United Nations Environm Show Less -

Bank Group ContributionThe World Bank funding for water resources management amounted to about US$8.08 billion across projects approved during fiscal years 2004-2013. In FY11 as well as FY12, World... Show More + Bank funding for water resources management amounted to US$1.2 billion; in FY13, it amounted to US$ 800 million.PartnersThe Bank collaborates with partners to support innovation in integrated water resources management. Given the broad reach of water resources management needs and initiatives, this type of collaboration has been significant.The World Bank strengthens the quality of its water projects through additional support from Global Partnership Programs.The Bank’s Water Partnership Program (WPP), a multi-donor trust fund, contributes to the Bank’s efforts to reduce poverty by bolstering operational and analytical work through the mainstreaming of pragmatic approaches for water resources management and water supply and sanitation service delivery. Under its first phase (2009-2012) Show Less -

PartnersDisaster risk management was universally endorsed as a development priority through the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) in 2005. This framework is an agreement signed by 168 governments and international... Show More + organizations, including the World Bank Group and the United Nations, to support disaster prevention across the world.As a partnership financing mechanism, GFDRR includes 43 country governments as well as eight international organizations. Recognizing the need for partnership and synergy in the post-disaster context, the World Bank, the United Nations (UN) and the European Commission entered into a Joint Declaration on Post-Crises Assessments and Recovery Planning in 2008 to improve the coordination of support offered to governments affected by disasters.The bank is working closely with UNDP on the development of the Disaster Recovery Framework Guide to guide recovery after major disasters, and with WMO on various hydro meteorological programs around the world.GFDRR has also e Show Less -

Bank Group ContributionFor FY13, nearly $3 billion in lending commitments at the World Bank are expected to provide adaptation co-benefits, of which just over $2 billion came from IDA and nearly $900 billion... Show More + from IBRD. More than $4 billion in FY 13 will provide mitigation co-benefits; $1.8 billion from IBRD and $2.3 billion from IDA. The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Bank’s private-sector arm, committed nearly $2.5 billion for mitigation, an increase of nearly $900 million.Highlights from the World Bank Group’s contributions include:82 projects in 50 countries: 24 have adaptation co-benefits, 39 mitigation co-benefits and 19 have both. At $2.3 billion, clean energy continued to account for the largest share of the Bank’s mitigation support in FY13.At $910 million, Water, Sanitation and Flood Protection represented one-third of adaptation financing in FY13 and an increasing part of the sector’s commitment support adaptation (about 40 percent), demonstrating integration of Show Less -

Global Food Prices Continue to Decline, but at Slower PaceWASHINGTON, February 27, 2014 -- The world loses or wastes one-quarter to one-third of all food produced for human consumption, according to the... Show More + latest issue of the World Bank's quarterly Food Price Watch citing FAO and World Resources Institute estimates. In regions rife with undernourishment, such as Africa and South Asia, this shocking loss translates to 400 to 500 calories per person, per day—and up to 1520 calories in the developed world.“The amount of food wasted and lost globally is shameful,” said Jim Yong Kim, President of the World Bank Group. “Millions of people around the world go to bed hungry every night, and yet millions of tons of food end up in trash cans or spoiled on the way to market. We have to tackle this problem in every country in order to improve food security and to end poverty.”According to the latest edition of Food Price Watch, global food prices declined by 3 percent over the last quarter but remain Show Less -

WASHINGTON, February 5, 2014 - Aquaculture – or fish farming – will provide close to two thirds of global food fish consumption by 2030 as catches from wild capture fisheries level off and demand from... Show More + an emerging global middle class, especially in China, substantially increases.These are among the key findings of “Fish to 2030: Prospects for Fisheries and Aquaculture” – a collaboration between the World Bank, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), released today. The report highlights the extent of global trade in seafood which tends to flow heavily from developing to developed countries.According to the FAO, at present 38 percent of all fish produced in the world is exported and in value terms, over two thirds of fishery exports by developing countries are directed to developed countries. The “Fish to 2030” report finds that a major and growing market for fish is coming from China which is projected t Show Less -

Growth outlook sensitive to US taper in 2014WASHINGTON, January 14, 2014 – The world economy is projected to strengthen this year, with growth picking up in developing countries and high-income economies... Show More + appearing to be finally turning the corner five years after the global financial crisis, says the World Bank’s newly-released Global Economic Prospects (GEP) report.The firming of growth in developing countries is being bolstered by an acceleration in high-income countries and continued strong growth in China. However, growth prospects remain vulnerable to headwinds from rising global interest rates and potential volatility in capital flows, as the United States Federal Reserve Bank begins withdrawing its massive monetary stimulus.“Growth appears to be strengthening in both high-income and developing countries, but downside risks continue to threaten the global economic recovery,” said World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim. “The performance of advanced economies is gaining momentum, Show Less -

Who is most at risk?The new study, part of an ongoing OECD project, examined maps and databases of population and world assets, flood-prone regions, storm frequency data, and cost of damage models for... Show More + 136 large coastal cities. For the first time, it took into account existing coastal defenses and their level of protection.In terms of the overall cost of damage, the cities at the greatest risk are: 1) Guangzhou, 2) Miami, 3) New York, 4) New Orleans, 5) Mumbai, 6) Nagoya, 7) Tampa, 8) Boston, 9) Shenzen, and 10) Osaka. The top four cities alone account for 43% of the forecast total global losses.However, developing-country cities move up the list when flood costs are measured as a percentage of city gross domestic product (GDP). Many of them are growing rapidly, have large populations, are poor, and are exposed to tropical storms and sinking land. The study lists the 10 most vulnerable cities when measured as percentage of GDP as: 1) Guangzhou; 2) New Orleans; 3) Guayaquil, Ec Show Less -

WASHINGTON, June 12, 2013 – Risks from advanced economies have eased and growth is firming, despite ongoing contraction in the Euro Area. However, the pick-up in developing countries will be modest because... Show More + of capacity constraints in several middle income countries, says the World Bank in the newly-released Global Economic Prospects (GEP) report.Global GDP is expected to expand about 2.2 percent this year and strengthen to 3.0 percent and 3.3 percent in 2014 and 2015[1]. Developing-country GDP is now projected to be around 5.1 percent in 2013, strengthening to 5.6 percent and 5.7 percent in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Growth in Brazil, India, Russia, South Africa and Turkey has been held back by supply bottlenecks. While external risks have eased, growth in these countries is unlikely to reach pre-crisis rates unless supply-side reforms are completed. In China also, growth has slowed as authorities seek to rebalance the economy. Looking at broader region-wide trends, the East Asi Show Less -

What will it take to meet the Sustainable Energy for All goals for energy access, renewable energy, and energy efficiency by 2030? The Global Tracking Initiative combines the work of 15 international organizations... Show More + to show where the world is today in energy access, renewable energy, and energy efficiency, and how far it needs to go to meet the 2030 goals.Click for HIGHER RESOLUTION Show Less -

Working towards global carbon tradingThe good news is that an increasing number of countries, provinces and cities around the globe are developing and building schemes to reduce emissions and trade the... Show More + resulting carbon reductions. Supporting national or subnational governments to put in place these mechanisms must be a priority. Many will want to participate in some level of trading across markets and some are already entering into formal bilateral negotiations to that effect. Adoption of common approaches and frameworks will facilitate linking and significant efforts to share experience and ideas are ongoing. However, recognising that countries will choose the most appropriate approach for their national circumstances and that the result is likely to be some level of heterogeneity across markets, a flexible approach is needed. We need an approach that recognises and accommodates differences across counties and that will support efficient trading across current and yet-to-e Show Less -

WASHINGTON, April 19, 2013 – The World Bank today announced the establishment of the Global Knowledge Partnership on Migration and Development (KNOMAD), envisioned to become a global hub of knowledge and... Show More + policy expertise on migration issues.KNOMAD was initiated in response to the rapid growth in migration and remittances over the last decade. Nearly one billion people – that is, one out of every seven persons on the planet – have migrated internally and across international borders in search of better opportunities and living conditions, with profound implications for development.Remittance flows to developing countries have more than quadrupled since 2000. Global remittances, including those to high-income countries, are estimated to have reached $529 billion in 2012, compared to $132 billion in 2000. "Migration and remittances offer a vital lifeline for millions of people and can play a major role in an economy's take-off. They enable people to partake in the global labor Show Less -

India: The India Elementary Education Project (Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan or SSA) (IDA $1.25 billion over two projects, Specific Investment Loans) is an example of a project that reaches out to groups that... Show More + have been excluded, aiming to boost the enrollment of children from poor families, marginalized and tribal groups and those with special needs. It has helped the government enroll more than 17 million out-of-school children in elementary school, including girls, first-generation learners from long-deprived communities and minority communities, and children with special needs. The number of out-of-school children declined from 25 million to 8.1 million (less than 5 percent of the age cohort 6-14). Approximately 2.9 million children with special needs have been identified and are being covered with a variety of interventions, like residential centers, home-based education. With these efforts, India is moving toward its target of ensuring that all children will be able to complete a fu Show Less -

Forests have a central role to play as the world confronts the challenges of climate change, food shortages, and improved livelihoods for a growing population. If predictions prove correct, the world will... Show More + need to shelter, feed, clothe, and provide livelihoods for another two billion people by 2050. This presents a staggering challenge, particularly given new research from the World Bank showing that world temperatures could rise by 4 degrees Celsius this century, impacting water availability, agriculture, and severe weather events. By 2025, two-thirds of all nations will confront water supply stress, and 2.4 billion people will live in countries unable to provide sufficient water for basic health, agriculture, and commercial needs.For centuries, forests have served as a kind of natural safety net for communities during times of famine or other events that impact agricultural and food production; they provide fruits, leaves, gum, nuts, timber, and wood for fuel. Forests feed people and Show Less -

WASHINGTON, November 20, 2012 – Remittance flows to the developing world are expected to exceed earlier estimates and total $406 billion this year, an increase of 6.5 percent over the previous year, according... Show More + to a new World Bank brief on global migration and remittances.Remittances to developing countries are projected to grow by 7.9 percent in 2013, 10.1 percent in 2014 and 10.7 percent in 2015 to reach $534 billion in 2015.Worldwide remittances, including those to high-income countries, are expected to total $534 billion in 2012, and projected to grow to $685 billion in 2015, according to the latest issue of the Bank’s Migration and Development Brief, released today.However, despite the growth in remittance flows overall to developing countries, the continuing global economic crisis is dampening remittance flows to some regions, with Europe and Central Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa especially affected, while South Asia and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are expected to fare mu Show Less -